Medieval Europe - Romanesque Sculpture Flashcards
1
Q
characteristics of Romanesque sculpture
A
- great unity between sculpture + architecture
- capitals, arches, tympana were main locations used for sculpture
- sculptural forms distorted to fit capitals + geometric design of arches
- mainly religious imagery (particularly death)
- used to teach illiterate pilgrims religious concepts
- narrative subject matter: stories about saints
- animal, vegetable, human forms distorted
- The Last Judgement is a common theme
- grotesque imagery is a feature throughout
- sculpture painted at the time
- art is quite abstract, v little realism attempted
- human forms sometimes blocky, often elongated
- foliage + drapery treated in a v decorative manner w/ swirling patterns
2
Q
The Last Judgement tympanum, St. Foy de Conques
A
- over main portal
- relief sculpture of The Last Judgement
- can be divided into 3 sections
- centre: Christ raising his hand in blessing
- to right of Christ: depiction of heaven w/ realistic figures of apostles + a procession of saints
- to left: graphic depiction of sinners tormented + condemned to hell.
- upper level shows weighing of souls + beyond gates below are devils pushing the damned into snarling jaws
- an inscription in Latin translates as “O sinners, if you do not mend your ways, know that you will suffer a dreadful fate”
- sculpture originally painted at time
3
Q
The Last Judgement
A
judgement of humankind expected in some religious traditions to take place at the end of the world
4
Q
Mission of the Apostles tympanum, Basilica of St Mary Magdalene Vèzelay
A
- depicts Mission of the Apostles, ie. to convert all nations to Christianity
- centre: oversized monumental figure of Christ
- either side: apostles, holding books
- Christ stretches out his arms + sends rays of light from hands onto heads of apostles
- folds of draperies wind-blown + stand out in high relief
- lintel represents non-Christian peoples w/ pig snouts + covered in feathers + elephant ears + other deformities
- > supposed to prove non-Christians were in need of salvation
5
Q
Mystic Mill Capital, Basilica of St Mary Magdalene Vèzelay
A
- typical Romanesque format (circular base, rectangular top supporting arch above)
- symbolises continuity between Old + New Testaments
- Moses on left pours grain into a mill (represent Old T)
- St Paul the apostle collects flour (Rep. Christ + New T)
- Figures carved in high relief
- windows light helps to show folds in their clothes
- foliage in v. large, mill v. small in proportion to figures
6
Q
Death of Lazarus capital, Basilica of St Mary Magdalene Vèzelay
A
- carved in lower relief than Mystic Mell
- Depicts unhappy death of rich man Dives who refused food scraps to beggar Lazarus
- snakes encircle Dives’ money bags under bed
- demons torment Dives’ soul as it leaves his body
- Lazarus’ soul ushered to heaven by angels on left side of capital
7
Q
Gislebertus - Bg info
A
- first trained as sculptor at Cluny
- worked on Basilica of St Mary Magdalene
- worked for 10 years as master sculptor on St Lazare Cathedral
8
Q
Gislebertus - works
A
- work expressive + full of variety
- carved the west + north portals + sixty capitals
- inscription “Gislebertus made this” under Christ’s feet on west portal tympanum -> unusual at time for artists to sign in prominent place
9
Q
The Last Judgement Tympanum, St. Lazare Cathedral, Autun
function/etc
A
- educate illiterate w/ terrifying scenes of damnation + point to their need for pilgrimage + repentance
- carved in high relief from large blocks
- assembled using pulleys + scaffolding
10
Q
Dream of the Magi Capital, St. Lazarus Cathedral, Autun
A
- shows Gislebertus’ dramatic style
- Angel tries to awaken sleeping magi (kings)
- Angel appeals to 3 to follow star (shown top right)
- Story continued in further columns along nave
- Upper block shows imaginative quality of his work
- Placing of angel above 3 kings creates v. appealing composition
- Angel’s halo + the star extend into flat upper moulding of the capital
11
Q
capitals
A
- a capital forms the top of a column
- Romanesque capitals derived from ancient Roman examples
12
Q
decoration of Romanesque capitals
A
- figurative forms distorted to fit shape of capitals
- decorated with grotesque monsters, animals, birds, humans
- figurative forms often combined with plant foliage
- biblical scenes + legends of local saints
- freq. work in sequence w/ other capitals to tell a story
13
Q
treatment of human figure vocab
A
- serene
- expressive
- human qualities
- tender
- calm
- distorted
- elongated
- grotesque
14
Q
Narrative functions of sculptures
A
tells a story
sequences to the stories
15
Q
decorative functions of sculptures
A
images of figures + goliage
heaven + hell
scaring people/illiterate
